Method of re-forming controller-handles.



F. BROSTROM.

METHOD OF RE-EORMING CONTROLLER HANDLES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1912.

' 1,030,1 60, Patented June 18, 1912.

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METHOD OF IRE-FORMING CON TROLLER-HANDLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed January 6, 1912. Serial No. 669,756.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK BROS'lROM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Methods of Re-Forming Controller-Handles, of which the following is a specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to a new and improved method for reforming controller, air brake or other handles of the well known controller type, and has for its main object to provide a method whereby the heads of the controller handles, after the openings therein have become worn, so as to loosely fit about the controller shaft, may be compressed so as to make the openings therein of the same size as they were before the wear took place.

After a controller handle has been in use for some little time, say, about six months, the opening therein which fits over the controller shaft becomes worn, and gets so large that when the operator advances the handle around the controller box it is im possible for the controller shaft to rotate to the last high speed point, and when the movement is reversed it is often impossible for the shaft to return to the first or cut ofi point on the controller, and the current is not cut off from the motor. When in this condition, the handle is of no use, and the universal practice heretofore has been to sell it for scrap, entailing an approximate loss of one dollar and seventy-five cents.

My improved method consists in inserting a plug or core, of a size slightly smaller than the controller shaft, into the enlarged opening in the controller head, compressing the head so that the faces of said opening fit said plug, this being done by suitable dies and a power press, and then broaching the opening to the size of the controller shaft.

With my improved method, the openings in the controller handles, after they have become too large to securely fit on the controller shaft, may be reduced in size by compressing the head of the controller handle, and this operation'may be accomplished I about six separate times, at a cost of approximately fifteen cents each time, thus increasing the life of a controller handle from six to thirty-six months and at a saving in expense over the old method of approximately seven dollars and eighty-five cents.

To comprehend the invention, reference should be had tothe accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 discloses a controller handle head in position on a controller shaft and after the handle has been in use a short time, the opening therein having become considerably worn, allowing the handle movement about the shaft, the opening shown somewhat exaggerated. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a controller head, with a plug slightly smaller than the diameter of the controller shaft, inserted in the enlarged opening therein, the whole being held in a controller head compression die, which is shown partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a broken sectional view showing the broach, the controller handle, and broaching block,

all in position for broaching the opening in the controller handle head to the exact size to fit over a controller shaft. Fig. 4 is a view of a worn out controller handle head after having been subjected to my improved method for reforming the same.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a controller handle, having at its lower end a suitable head 1 which is provided with an opening 2, through which extends a controller shaft 8. The handle is adapted to rotate the shaft 3 in an arc of about 415, and in so doing, the walls of the opening become worn as at 2 (Fig. 1 of the drawings), permitting a lost motion be tween the shaft 3 and the worn walls 2 of the opening 2, which lost motion at times often makes it impossible to rotate the shaft 3, the full limit of its movement, thus it will be seen that when the opening in the head of the handle is in this condition, the controller will not be thrown over to its full speed current or returned to that point where the current is cut off.

In my re-forming process a suitable block or core 4:, (Fig. 2 of the drawings) of approximately the same configuration and of a size slightly smaller than the controller shaft is slipped into the enlarged opening 2 in the head 1 of the controller handle and while in this position the head of the handle is placed between two suitable compression dies 5, as in Fig. 2 of the drawings, each die having in its face a recess 5 of the same configuration as one half of a controller head, but slightly smaller in size, so that when pressure is applied to the dies the head will be sufiiciently compressed until the opening 2 is of the same size as the core block 4:. After the head is sufficiently compressed it is removed from the dies, the core a is removed from the opening 2, and the head is placed on a suitable broaching block 6, and a broach 7 of the eXact size, and configuration of the controller shaft 3 is forced through the opening, broaching the same to the exact size and configuration that it was before the Wear took place.

It is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the specific devices for performing this operation, but any suitable devices may be used.

Having thus fully described my improved invention What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is 2-- 1. A method for re-forming the enlarged openings in controller or other handles, consisting of compressing the head of the controller handle until the opening therein is smaller than the diameter of the shaft adapted to fit thereinto, and 'broaching said opening to the exact size of the shaft adapt ed to fit thereinto.

2. A method for re-forming the enlarged openings in controller or other handles, con sisting of inserting a core in the enlarged opening, said core being of a size smaller than the shaft adapted to fit into said opening, compressing the head of the controller handle until the opening therein is of'the same size as the core, removing the said core from the opening and broaching the opening to the exact size of the shaft adapted to fit thereinto.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDRIGK BROSTROM.

lVitnesses H. F. TOTTEN, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissionerof Patents, Washington, D. G. 

